Video Transcript

Public Affairs: Greg, you, as part of your duties, oversee a program that investigates transnational repression. Can you briefly describe what that is, and why is the FBI involved in investigating that?

Seattle ASAC: Sure. Transnational repression is when foreign governments seek to undermine Americans’ constitutional rights, most often because those Americans are in some way criticizing those foreign governments. The FBI is fundamentally involved because these are crimes being committed by hostile foreign governments.

Public Affairs: Are there any countries in particular that we're seeing that this transnational repression, you know, emanating from?

Seattle ASAC: There are a number of countries that engage in this, but probably the two most prominent are the People's Republic of China and Iran.

Public Affairs: So what is the FBI doing to counter this TNR threat?

Seattle ASAC: A lot of it right now is just outreach. So we're educating the community about the threats that some of these governments pose, especially to immigrants from those countries who are now critical of those foreign governments. Americans should know right now that they can go to fbi.gov and read about transnational repression and what to be on the lookout for.